18 August

AT Palestrina, the birthday of the holy martyr
Agapitus. Although only fifteen years of age,
as he was fervent in the love of Christ, he was
arrested by order of the emperor Aurelian, and
scourged a long time. Afterwards, under the prefect Antiochus, he endured more severe torments,
and being delivered to the lions by the emperor’s
order without receiving any injury, he was finally
struck with the sword, and thus merited his crown.
—At Rome, during the persecution of Diocletian,
the blessed John and Crispus, priests, who charitably buried the bodies of many. saints, and afterwards becoming partakers of their merits, they deserved the joys of eternal life.—In the same city,
the holy martyrs Hermas, Serapion, and Polyaenus.
Being dragged through narrow, stony, and craggy
places, they yielded up their souls to God.—In
Dalmatia, the holy martyrs Florus and Laurus,
stonecutters, who, after the martyrdom of Proculus
and Maximus, their employers, were subjected to
many torments under the governor Licion, and
plunged into a deep well.—At Myra, in Lycia, the
holy martyrs Leo and Juliana.—At Metz, in France,
St. Firmin, bishop and confessor.—At Rome, on the
Lavican road, St. Helena, mother of the pious emperor Constantine the Great, who was the first to
set the example to other princes of protecting and
extending the Church.—At Monte-Falo, in Umbria,
blessed Clare, virgin, nun of the Order of Augustinians, in whom the mysteries of our Lord’s passion
were renewed, and are venerated with the greatest
devotion. Pope Leo XIII. solemnly added her to the
list of holy virgins.